Augusta Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Reid said a firefighter pulled the child through a bedroom window. The chief said he did not know if the child was alive.

Although five people live in the house in the 500 block of Carr Street, Reid said just a man and the child were home at 8:20 p.m. when firefighters were called. It appears the fire started from a pot cooking on the stove, the chief said.

Neighbors David Poole and Erik Evans said they were next door cooking steaks when they saw flames and ran over to help while others called 911.

Knowing a toddler was inside, the two threw a brick through a side bedroom window to get inside. While Evans lifted him up, Poole pushed his leg through the window. He said he tried to crawl inside but the smoke was too much. He called to the child and heard him respond before going quiet.

“One peep, that was it,” Poole said.

“We tried ... ” Evans said.

Evans said while they tried to get inside, the man who lived in the house was trying to extinguish the blaze with a garden hose.

It took firefighters about 45 minutes to put out the fire, according to Reid.

Neighbors stood outside in pajamas, holding up phones to capture photos and video.

E.B. Watkins, who lives in the Carr Street home with his girlfriend and three others, said he was down the street when the fire started. He said he turned the corner to come home and saw the flames and felt his heart sink.

“Oh, Lord, I just said to myself,” Watkins said. “It about scared me to death.”

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My first call to 911 was unanswered. I had to hang up and try again. I don't know where it was routed to but I couldn't believe that the first call just rang and rang. We knew a child had been left behind inside and a few guys were trying to get to him, but the thick black smoke spewing from the glass broken window was just over powering. I feared that if any of them went thru that window the firefighters would have been pulling more bodies from the scene.

Those old wooden houses go up in a flash. I hope that the baby is all right and will recover.

If you see black smoke, then you need professional firefighting equipment to survive, there isn't enough oxygen for any one to breathe.

To the men who tried to save the child- you are to be commended, you put your own lives in danger, you did the best that you could. Yes, if any of you had gone inside, there would be more bodies to rescue.

I was there and the news never gets it right. There was 4 men trying to get that baby. Two were left out, Travis Purdum and George Baxley. They are family, David Poole is my grandson. I am very proud of them, even my daughter tried to help. The only problem I have is it took the fire department 10 minutes to response and they are only 5 blocks away

Chili....ignorance is convenient. The first engine company arrived less than 2 minutes after they were toned out. The second engine company arrived about a minute after that. Im sure youre upset about the losses that occurred in the fire and my heart goes out to you. But before bashing the FD on their response, take a step back and realize what they DID do.